I read with great pride the article about all of the IBEW members who have been elected to public office. The IBEW is one of the most politically engaged unions in the country and, I'm happy to say, we will soon have one more member in office.

Riverside, Calif., Local 440 Business Manager Robert Frost retired recently to run for the California Assembly. Bob joined Local 440 35 years ago after his tour of duty in the Navy. He's been in a position of leadership with the local since 1988. The number of union and government committees he has served on are far too numerous to name but do include being an executive board member of the Workforce Investment Board and chairman of the Riverside County Office of Education Foundation.

Bob has pledged to use his real-world experience as an educator, business manager and veteran to champion policies that support middle-class families. As a lifelong advocate for working families, his leadership will make a genuine difference in Sacramento as he fights for working-class people. To learn more go to Frost4Assembly.com or his Facebook page Robert Frost for Assembly. Contributions are gratefully accepted.

Chuck McDaniel, Local 440 member
Riverside, Calif.

I recently attended the IBEW Market Driven Contracting class in Baltimore. I'd like to share something I wrote on a piece of paper while there, which I still carry in my wallet:

• I Believe in myself.
• I Believe in my Brothers and Sisters.
• I Believe in the IBEW.

Tony DeLeon, Local 280 member
Salem, Ore.

Granddad was a member,
when I was just a girl,
of the fastest growing local
in this part of our world.

Then dad became a member
When the local was still young
And we learned electrician's lingo
Union life had now begun.

Today we lived in our home town,
Tomorrow-packed and gone
A "traveler" dad called himself
When we were not at home.

Just when things would seem quite dull
Dad would swing right in and say
"Let's get packed up and head for home
For l "drug up" today."

Well, you'd think to have this background
I'd look for something new
But, no, I went and married
A local member, too.

He did his share of "traveling"
of "dragging up" and wow!
Nothing more exciting
Than a two months "turnaround."

Life always was exciting
Elections, strikes, negotiating
With the sure knowledge that tomorrow
A better job was waiting.

And so, three generations of my men
Have lived the electrician's way
Granddad, dad and husband
No regrets along the way.

One's retired, the other thinking
Upon that way of life
And, one day, I, too, will be
A retired electrician's wife.

And I guess I'll still have an interest
In the electrician's future way
For my son, fourth generation,
Chose that after graduation day.

Who knows, maybe someday
I'll still be alive
To watch my grandson serve our local
Making it generation five.

Wife of Calvin Clouatre Sr., Local 995 retiree
Baton Rouge, La.